The Joint Center for Energy Storage Research: A New Paradigm for Battery Research and Development

The Joint Center for Energy Storage Research (JCESR) seeks transformational change in transportation and the electricity grid driven by next generation high performance, low cost electricity storage. To pursue this transformative vision JCESR introduces a new paradigm for battery research: integrating discovery science, battery design, research prototyping and manufacturing collaboration in a single highly interactive organization. This new paradigm will accelerate the pace of discovery and innovation and reduce the time from conceptualization to commercialization. JCESR applies its new paradigm exclusively to beyond-lithium-ion batteries, a vast, rich and largely unexplored frontier. This review presents JCESR's motivation, vision, mission, intended outcomes or legacies and first year accomplishments.Comment: 17 pages, 14 figures, 96 reference

Heuristic guidelines to support conceptual design

The creativity or unforeseeable nature of the design process, especially during the conceptual phase, makes it difficult to apply current design methodologies to aid designers and help them to reach a conceptual solution in an effective manner. In this paper we present some guidelines, based on experimental data about the evolution of the design process, with which to improve the effectiveness of the conceptual phase, above all as regards finding solutions. Here, effectiveness is taken as meaning quickly reaching a design solution that satisfies the requirements of the problem. Some of the guidelines obtained allow the effectiveness of a designer or a group of designers to be enhanced and are oriented towards controlling the divergence and convergence of the design space. Some guidelines for the development of interactive computer systems to aid designers are also put forwar

Nursing Leadership Influence on Evidence-Based Practice Culture and Integration

Translating research to practice takes 10-20 years or more and evidence-based practice (EBP) integration remains at 10%-20%, despite recommendations requiring EBP-guided decisions. EBP integration has been associated with up to 30% decreases in healthcare system spending, improved quality outcomes, and increased staff satisfaction. Nurse leaders are accountable for EBP enculturation, yet rate quality and safety as the highest priority and EBP as the lowest. This knowledge gap perpetuates low EBP integration rates and hinders EBP enculturation. Asking whether EBP facilitative interventions for nurse leaders increase scores on organizational culture and readiness, beliefs, and EBP use scales addressed the knowledge gap via this quality improvement, pre/posttest pilot project. Multiple frameworks guided the project: the nursing process, Lewin\u27s change management model, the Johns Hopkins Nursing EBP model, and the Five Practices of Exemplary Leadership-® model. A comprehensive literature search validated the design using EBP facilitators: educational interventions, transformational leadership, strategic planning, and a systems perspective. Pre/posttest data garnered from 14 non-direct care nurse leaders on the Organizational Culture and Readiness for System-Wide Integration of EBP Scale, the EBP Beliefs Scale, and the EBP Implementation Scale was analyzed using 2-sample t tests. Individual questions on the scales revealed statistically significant differences correlating to the facilitative interventions, yet overall aggregate scores did not change significantly. The limited findings contribute to the existing body of knowledge, while positive social implications include resolving public health and safety issues, reversing fiscal irresponsibility, and overcoming resistance to change

Arbitrary Hardware/Software Trade Offs

This paper discusses a novel transformation-based design methodology and its use in the design of complex programmable VLSI systems. During the life-cycle of a complex system, the optimal trade-off between partially implementing in hardware or software is changing. This is due to varying system requirements (short time-to-market, low-cost, low-power, etc.) and improving the device technology. The proposed methodology allows such redesigns to be made using different hardware-software trade-offs, in a guaranteed correct wa

Desegregating HRM: A Review and Synthesis of Micro and Macro Human Resource Management Research

Since the early 1980’s the field of HRM has seen the independent evolution of two independent subfields (strategic and functional), which we believe is dysfunctional to the field as a whole. We propose a typology of HRM research based on two dimensions: Level of analysis (individual/ group or organization) and number of practices (single or multiple). We use this framework to review the recent research in each of the four sub-areas. We argue that while significant progress has been made within each area, the potential for greater gains exists by looking across each area. Toward this end we suggest some future research directions based on a more integrative view of HRM. We believe that both areas can contribute significantly to each other resulting in a more profound impact on the field of HRM than each can contribute independently

Investigating Active Learning in Inclusion and Resource Language Arts Classrooms

At the study site, middle school students with disabilities continue to demonstrate reading deficits. Because the lack of growth in the reading skills of students with disabilities has negative consequences for the students and for the school, it was paramount to investigate if the instructional design decisions made by teachers influence the reading growth of these students. The central purpose of this qualitative case study was to use the interactive-constructive-active-passive (ICAP) framework to analyze if teachers are assigning learning activities that compel students with disabilities to engage in active learning during reading instruction. Three research questions guided the investigation of active learning during reading instruction in language classrooms at the study site. In individual interviews, the eight research participants described the frequency and levels of active learning students with disabilities engage in during reading instruction, as well as how participants view the influence of active learning on the reading growth of these students. I used three rounds of coding to analyze data collected from the interviews and lesson plan assessments to find themes linked to the research questions. Findings of the study revealed that teachers are not regularly assigning learning activities that engage students with disabilities in active learning. I created a professional development project to increase teachers’ capacity to engage students with disabilities in active learning during reading instruction. This project study may influence positive social change by revealing ways to develop the reading skills of students with disabilities as well as improve the long-term outcomes for these students

Principles in Patterns (PiP) : Project Evaluation Synthesis

Evaluation activity found the technology-supported approach to curriculum design and approval developed by PiP to demonstrate high levels of user acceptance, promote improvements to the quality of curriculum designs, render more transparent and efficient aspects of the curriculum approval and quality monitoring process, demonstrate process efficacy and resolve a number of chronic information management difficulties which pervaded the previous state. The creation of a central repository of curriculum designs as the basis for their management as "knowledge assets", thus facilitating re-use and sharing of designs and exposure of tacit curriculum design practice, was also found to be highly advantageous. However, further process improvements remain possible and evidence of system resistance was found in some stakeholder groups. Recommendations arising from the findings and conclusions include the need to improve data collection surrounding the curriculum approval process so that the process and human impact of C-CAP can be monitored and observed. Strategies for improving C-CAP acceptance among the "late majority", the need for C-CAP best practice guidance, and suggested protocols on the knowledge management of curriculum designs are proposed. Opportunities for further process improvements in institutional curriculum approval, including a re-engineering of post-faculty approval processes, are also recommended

AN INSTRUMENTAL STUDY OF FIRE SERVICE LEADERS’ INFLUENCE ON FOLLOWERS’ WORKPLACE AEROBIC EXERCISE ACTIVITY

Sudden cardiac events resulting from the physical demands associated with fire suppression among individuals lacking adequate aerobic fitness are known concerns within the firefighting domain. The purpose of this research study was to explore fire service leaders\u27 perceived leadership behaviors that aided in followers\u27 performing workplace aerobic exercise activities (Creswell & Poth, 2018). Following within-case and cross-case analyses of interviewees\u27 data, five leadership themes emerged comprising four behaviors and one influence related to followers\u27 workplace aerobic exercise activities: role model, supportive, cooperative, visionary, and planned exercise regimen. In the present study, thematic findings indicated that fire service leaders\u27 role-modeling exercise and fitness behaviors exemplified the importance of performing workplace aerobic exercise activities among followers. In addition, supportive behaviors focused on interactive exchanges, job-related training, and team-building helped followers perform workplace aerobic exercise activities. Moreover, interviewees portrayed cooperative behaviors towards working out with followers, scaling exercises, and procuring fitness equipment promoted workplace aerobic exercise activities. Furthermore, interviewees described the use of visionary behaviors focused on thinking outside of the box and eliciting solutions to barriers limiting followers’ from performing workplace aerobic exercise activities. Equally important, interviewees identified that establishing a prescribed planned workout regimen influenced followers\u27 performance of workplace aerobic exercise activities. Therefore, the present study\u27s findings have practical implications for helping fire service leaders lessen followers\u27 cardiovascular disease-related events within the firefighting domain